Russia bans Reddit over magic mushroom post
Social network and entertainment site banned after failing to respond to government
Reddit has become one of the biggest websites yet blocked in Russia.
It was banned by censors because of a single post which described how to grow 'magic' mushrooms at home, says The Independent.
Russia's internet watchdog, Roskomnadzor (RKN), is notorious for blocking the sites of political opponents of Vladimir Putin – as well as those showing pornography or extremist views. The Jehovah's Witnesses are also proscribed online.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Now Reddit joins the list after a user posted a lengthy guide, in Russian, to growing psychoactive mushrooms at home.
The post went unnoticed by the authorities for two years, during which time it received just one 'upvote' and one comment from other users.
Because the ban is implemented by service providers, one by one, it comes in gradually. At the moment, many users can still see Reddit and the offending post, which has now received far more attention than it did before the authorities took notice.
RKN says it wrote to Reddit asking for the post to be removed and is instituting a ban because it didn't get any reply – and suggested this may be because Reddit staff are on holiday.
The watchdog said in a blog post: "We assume that the website is simply understaffed during the summer holidays, but this is no excuse to risk [losing] its entire audience [in Russia]." The agency then put its ban into practice.
Last month, RKN issued a similar warning to YouTube, claiming it might block the entire video-sharing site because of copyright-breaking uploads of the popular Russian TV series Fizruk (P.E. Teacher) and Chernobyl, said the Hollywood Reporter.
While YouTube moved quickly to remove the copyrighted material, RKN was apparently unhappy that users could immediately upload it again.
Following its standard procedure, YouTube would not act again until a further complaint was received. If its staff take extended summer holidays, they may return to find Russia has tuned out.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
'King's horses take free rein through London'
Today's Newspapers A roundup of the headlines from the US front pages
By The Week Staff Published
-
Is pop music now too reliant on gossip?
Talking Point Taylor Swift's new album has prompted a flurry of speculation over who she is referring to in her songs
By Richard Windsor, The Week UK Published
-
Nuclear near-misses
The Explainer From technical glitches to fateful split-second decisions, the world has come to the brink of nuclear war more times than you might think
By Rebecca Messina, The Week UK Published
-
How technology helps and harms endangered languages
Under the radar Languages are disappearing at fastest rate in history, accelerated by digital dominance of English
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Spain spends €258m on trains too big for tunnels
feature And other stories from the stranger side of life
By Chas Newkey-Burden Published
-
Animal shelter will name cat litter tray after your ex
feature And other stories from the stranger side of life
By Chas Newkey-Burden Published
-
‘Unsettling’ bid to bring dodo back to life
feature And other stories from the stranger side of life
By The Week Staff Published
-
Reddit nudes marketplace a ‘new evolution of revenge porn’
Speed Read ‘Thousands’ of photos of naked women are being shared by men without consent
By Kate Samuelson Published
-
Your LinkedIn contact could be a deepfake
feature And other stories from the stranger side of life
By The Week Staff Published
-
AI beats humans at bridge
feature And other stories from the stranger side of life
By The Week Staff Published
-
Who masterminded largest-ever cyberattack on Israel?
Under the Radar Defence officials point finger at Iran after government websites knocked offline
By The Week Staff Published